A staff member works at a workshop of a semiconductor company in Shanghai. File photo: Xinhua

Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Guoqing said relevant departments should speed up efforts to achieve breakthroughs in core technologies and transform the country's manufacturing into a high-end, more intelligent and green sector to help build a modern industrial system backed by the real economy, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

Zhang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks during a research trip to Shanghai on the development of the manufacturing sector, which lasted from Sunday to Tuesday.

A Chinese expert said on Wednesday that the visit showed the government's continued push to ramp up growth momentum in the vital sector. 

During the three-day trip, Zhang visited manufacturing enterprises specializing in satellite navigation, commercial aircraft, new-energy vehicles, heavy gas turbines, integrated circuits, digital instruments and large specialized ships, among others, and learned about their latest developments in technology innovation.

Manufacturing is the foundation underlying a country's development, said Zhang, who called for giving top priority to the high-quality development of manufacturing.

The vice premier underscored the role of innovation as part of the high-quality development of manufacturing and joint efforts to achieve breakthroughs in core technologies in key areas, and shore up industrial and supply chains that are secure, self-supporting and under better control.

Li Chang'an, a professor at the Academy of China Open Economy Studies of the University of International Business and Economics, told the Global Times on Wednesday that the visit was another indication that the country is attaching greater significance to the development of the advanced manufacturing industry. 

Advanced manufacturing has in recent years become the locomotive of growth for the economy, Li said, and pursuing growth and development in the sector could prevent the hollowing-out of the Chinese manufacturing.

Under the push toward self-reliance in technology innovations, China has achieved a number of breakthroughs in high-end manufacturing since early 2022, most notably in the C919 passenger plane, which completed its first commercial flight in May.

China's first domestically built large cruise ship undocked for outfitting in Shanghai on Tuesday, as the country attained the final crown jewel of shipping after aircraft carriers and liquefied natural gas ships.

A key government meeting in May stressed the need to speed up the construction of the country's modern industrial system backed by the real economy, and advancing Chinese modernization with well-education human resources in the country.

China should promote the efficient aggregation of global innovation factors, and boost the intelligent, green and integrated development of industries, the meeting was told.

Global Times